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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26778328">Better Late Than Never</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Falahime/pseuds/Falahime'>Falahime</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>I Can't Think Up A Clever Name for Haikyu Fics Right Now [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Haikyuu!!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Actually pretty fluffy I think, Fluff and Angst, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Post-Time Skip, embarrassingly so, not really that much angst</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 04:48:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,256</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26778328</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Falahime/pseuds/Falahime</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Suga should’ve known this day was coming but honestly the last year of rooming with his hot cop/best friend/unrequited crush had made him complacent. Things had been going so smoothly and settled into such a sweet little domestic routine that somewhere along the way, Suga had pushed what <em>he’d known all along would happen</em> into the darkest corner of his mind and left it. </p>
<p>Now here it was, rearing its ugly head at last, running circles in his brain, taunting him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>  <em>“Oh, I won’t be home for dinner Saturday night—guys at work pulled me into a mixer.”</em></p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Sawamura Daichi/Sugawara Koushi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>I Can't Think Up A Clever Name for Haikyu Fics Right Now [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2000623</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>206</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Better Late Than Never</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Suga should’ve known this day was coming but honestly the last year of rooming with his hot cop/best friend/unrequited crush had made him complacent. Things had been going so smoothly and settled into such a sweet little domestic routine that somewhere along the way, Suga had pushed what <em>he’d known all along would happen</em> into the darkest corner of his mind and left it. </p>
<p>Now here it was, rearing its ugly head at last, running circles in his brain, taunting him.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Oh, I won’t be home for dinner Saturday night—guys at work pulled me into a mixer.”</em>
</p>
<p>At first Suga had grasped desperately at the little tells in Daichi’s phrasing: “pulled me into a mixer” like he had put up a fight, kicking and screaming not to go, but ultimately had no other choice. Or the fact that he sounded so apologetic about it. Yes, Suga held onto those tiny details for a while until he had to admit that they weren’t enough. Hell, even if Daichi didn’t really want to go but also didn’t want to stoop to lying to get himself excused from it (in Suga’s fantasy, Daichi would simply tell his senpai that he already had a significant other, in which case Suga could pretend he meant him) that didn’t mean he wouldn’t have a great time once he was there. </p>
<p>Though Daichi had always been handsome, the last several years had been <em>especially</em> kind to him, in Suga’s opinion. A little bit of maturity had only made him exponentially hotter and the guy <em>radiated</em> insane masculine pheromones—<em>without even knowing it</em>, which worried Suga to no end. </p>
<p>Because the girls at the mixer would definitely notice. His lovely lamb Daichi was essentially being thrown to a pack of ravenous wolves.</p>
<p>Okay, Daichi seemed way more a sheepdog—something like a German shepherd, Suga thought idly, especially now that he was a cop—than a trembling lamb. </p>
<p>But still. Daichi being Daichi, he had absolutely no idea that he had essentially become testosterone incarnate. And he was way too nice to beat the girls off with a stick, which was what Suga was pretty sure it would take.</p>
<p>His only hope was that Daichi was still so oblivious and horrible at flirting that barring one of the girls coming right out and jumping him, he wouldn’t even register that he was being hit on. </p>
<p>So now it was six p.m. and he was covertly wallowing in misery on the couch while Daichi took a shower. The countdown had begun and he was trying his best to stay optimistic but also to prepare himself for the inevitability of Daichi coming home happy about his new girlfriend or covered in hickies or engaged or worse yet: not coming home tonight at all.</p>
<p>Suga groaned, covering his face with the book he was pretending to read. </p>
<p>
  <em>Just this one night, he lied to himself. Just get through tonight and tomorrow everything will go back to normal.</em>
</p>
<p>“Oh, um, Suga?” Daichi asked.</p>
<p>“Hmm?” Suga peeked over the top of his book, and was glad that ten-seconds-ago-him had put it across his face. Daichi had come out of the bathroom wearing nothing but a towel and while the sight was not unusual, it was always worth thorough appreciation. Hopefully the book covering everything below his eyes would hide any accidental drool.</p>
<p>“I was, uh, wondering if you’d help me pick something out.” Daichi scratched at the back of his head, a chronic tell that he was embarrassed. “You’re better at that stuff than I am.” He finally looked directly at Suga, a wry smile forming. “Unless you’re too engrossed in that book.”</p>
<p>“I <em>am</em>, but anything for you,” Suga said dramatically. He raised an eyebrow. “Are we starting from underwear up or..?”</p>
<p>Daichi rolled his eyes but still turned an entertaining shade of red. “No, I’m pretty sure I can handle that much myself—”</p>
<p>“Are you sure?” Suga asked critically. He laughed as Daichi threw his towel at his face. “What, you had underwear on the whole time?” Suga complained even as he took time to appreciate the view of Daichi stomping off to his room in nothing but black boxer-briefs. “Cheater.”</p>
<p>He jumped up and followed Daichi’s laugh into his bedroom.</p>
<p>Under any other circumstances, Suga would love to dress him up. Plus it gave him an excuse to touch him—pretending to smooth out wrinkles over Daichi’s shoulders or across his back and he could very openly check him out under the guise of appraising his choice of outfit. </p>
<p>This mixer had been coordinated by Daichi’s coworkers and superiors, so Suga couldn’t in good conscience make him look like a dweeb. How could he make him look good enough to appear competent but not so good that anyone would want to take him home was a challenge.</p>
<p><em>Who am I kidding? He was sauntering around in just underwear five minutes ago. Anyone with eyeballs can tell he’s gorgeous. Hey, maybe I should say he can only go to mixers for blind people?</em> Suga grimaced. <em>That sounds kinda rude to blind people. Besides, his voice his hot too. And he’s too nice and sweet, even if they couldn’t see him, they’d fall in love with him. He even smells—</em></p>
<p>“Uh, Suga?” Daichi asked, slightly concerned.</p>
<p>“Why do you smell so stupidly good?” Suga blurted. </p>
<p>Daichi blinked back at him. “Because I don’t want to stink?”</p>
<p>“Grr,” Suga said, biting his thumbnail.</p>
<p>“Don’t do that,” Daichi said automatically, reaching up and pulling Suga’s hand away from his mouth. He looked down at Suga’s hand in his for a moment before letting it drop. “Your nails look longer.”</p>
<p>Suga shrugged. “I don’t set anymore so I don’t have to keep them filed to nothing.” </p>
<p>“Well if you’re going to keep them long like that, don’t chew on them. Your hands are too pretty to get all chewed up.” Daichi ignored Suga’s stunned expression and plucked a shirt from his closet. “You don’t like this one?”</p>
<p>Dwelling on Daichi complimenting his hands was immediately shelved for more pressing matters, namely preventing the man from leaving the house a veritable fashion disaster. “Oh my god, Daichi, no.” Suga took the shirt from him and tried to not look too appalled. “Where did you even get this? And why? If you ever wear this, I demand you arrest yourself for crimes against humanity.”</p>
<p>“Okay, okay, I get it!” Daichi laughed. “You’ve made your point! It’s so sexy you’re afraid of me wearing it outside the apartment, I get it!”</p>
<p>Suga choked on his own spit laughing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><br/>
“Behold,” Suga said many minutes and many outfits later, using the opportunity to touch Daichi to turn him toward the full-length mirror even though Daichi was perfectly capable of turning himself, “my masterpiece.”</p>
<p>“I’m your masterpiece?” Daichi asked with a smirk, making eye contact through the mirror. He checked himself out; Suga stayed behind him, hands lingering on his shoulders. “You do good work,” Daichi admitted. He grinned sincerely. “I’m glad I asked you.”</p>
<p>Suga’s smile faltered. “My pleasure,” he half-lied. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Suga fidgeted as Daichi finished getting ready. He had every intention of acting nonchalant and continuing to not-read his book on the couch when Daichi left, but somehow here he was, standing behind him as Daichi put on his shoes in the entryway.</p>
<p>“Hey, Daichi...”</p>
<p>“Hmm?” Daichi stood and turned to face him. Immediately he frowned. “What’s wrong?”</p>
<p>“Huh?” Suga said, feeling tears prick at the corners of his eyes. He blinked rapidly, fighting them back. “Oh, um...” <em>Please don’t bring anyone home. Please don’t fall for anyone. <strong>Please don’t go</strong>.</em> He plastered on a fake smile. “Knock ’em dead, hot stuff.”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Daichi said, brow still furrowed. He leaned forward slightly then stopped, a look of surprise flitted across his face. He cleared his throat. “See you later.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So, did you have fun?” Suga asked tentatively. He was going to ask, “did you have a good time” but stopped, hating the connotation of what a “good time” might entail.</p>
<p>“It was okay,” Daichi admitted. “Guess who I ran into?”</p>
<p>Suga looked at him expectantly.</p>
<p>“Michimiya,” Daichi said, chewing a piece of toast. “Remember her?”</p>
<p>Suga had no idea what his expression looked like at the moment but he fought to keep it neutral. Casual. Not full of <em>worst possible nightmare</em>. Did he remember her? <em>How could he not?</em> It had been blatantly obvious to everyone but Daichi—once again, Suga thanked all the gods he could think of that Daichi was more focused on volleyball than girls in high school—that Michimiya had a massive crush on him. It had nearly given Suga ulcers their third year until he finally realized that Daichi was too oblivious to notice and Michimiya was too chickenshit to just come right out and confess.</p>
<p>“Of course,” Suga finally said, trying his best to sound lighthearted. “How’s she doing?”</p>
<p>“Good.” Daichi nodded. “She just recently moved back, I guess.”</p>
<p>
  <em>Gah, why? Why couldn’t she move to, I dunno, Antarctica? Pursue a thrilling career as a penguin egg counter or something? Sorry, Michimiya, I shouldn’t be mean to you in my mind—it’s not your fault...but it kind of is. </em>
</p>
<p>“That’s nice,” Suga said weakly.</p>
<p>“Don’t sound so interested,” Daichi said wryly. </p>
<p>“No, I’m— I want to know how your night went.”</p>
<p>“Gotta a few compliments on the clothes,” Daichi offered. “Mostly from my coworkers, though. And you’ll be relieved to know that no one commented on how ‘stupidly good’ I smelled.”</p>
<p>“Their loss,” Suga said immediately and Daichi chuckled. “So, any hotties there?”</p>
<p>“Not as— not really,” Daichi shrugged. “But I’m not really good at gauging that sort of thing.”</p>
<p>Suga laughed. “Daichi, it’s whether or not you subjectively think someone’s attractive. It’s not something you’re good at or not.” He took a sip of his coffee.</p>
<p>“I guess,” Daichi said after a moment.</p>
<p>Suga licked his lips, readying himself for the question he didn’t really want to hear the answer to but had to know. “Get any numbers?”</p>
<p>“No..?” Daichi said and Suga could tell by the way Daichi avoided his eyes that he was fibbing. </p>
<p>“Daichi.” Suga gave him his best stern look.</p>
<p>“Honestly, I spent most of the time talking to Michimiya. She wants to keep in touch, maybe get together for drinks one of these days...but does she count?”</p>
<p><em>She counts more than all the others combined!</em> Suga resisted the urge to scream. Of course there was no way Daichi would be able to see her after all this time and she wouldn’t scramble to take advantage of this second chance. Suga supposed he should just be lucky she didn’t club him over the head and drag him home with her.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You sure you don’t want to come?” Daichi asked for probably the fiftieth time.</p>
<p>“I wasn’t actually invited,” Suga replied for probably the fiftieth time.</p>
<p>“She really won’t mind,” Daichi insisted. </p>
<p><em>She really will mind, Daichi! She’s trying to get in your pants!</em> And that was why, especially after the fiftieth time (approximately) of Daichi asking, it was hard for Suga to continue declining. But the last thing he wanted was to get stuck in the middle of their flirting. Just the thought made him nauseous. </p>
<p>“You two have fun,” Suga said lamely. “I don’t feel that great anyway.” It wasn’t totally a lie.</p>
<p> “Are you coming down with something?” The genuine concern in Daichi’s voice was heartbreaking. Before Suga could respond, Daichi stepped forward and put their foreheads together. “You don’t feel hot.”</p>
<p>Suga just shrugged. It was too hard to stand there when Daichi smelled so stupidly good—<em>again</em>—wearing an outfit that Suga had picked out for him—<em>again</em>—for a date with Michimiya. No matter how much Daichi insisted that’s not what this was, Suga knew better. And he knew Michimiya was definitely calling it a date her mind. Because he would, in her shoes.</p>
<p>The texts had started way earlier than even he anticipated—the day after the mixer. For the first week or so, he’d tease, “Say hi to Michimiya for me” when he caught Daichi smiling at his phone, but that soon wore thin. He lost count of how many times he hoped Daichi would roll his eyes and say, “It’s Asahi, having yet another existential crisis” or “Hinata just sent another goofy picture of his team.” But these days it seemed like it was <em>always</em> Michimiya. In a twisted way, Suga had to give her credit: she was at least smart enough now to come on strong. It didn’t look like she was going to make the same mistake of playing coy like she had in high school.</p>
<p>So when they started meeting up for lunch Suga knew the end was near. It was only a matter of time before “dinner and drinks” and the night that Daichi wouldn’t come home.</p>
<p>Suga stomach was in knots because he just knew that night was <em>tonight</em>.</p>
<p>“Maybe I just ate something bad,” Suga mumbled.</p>
<p>Daichi’s hand was still on top of Suga’s head where he’d pushed silver-grey hair off his forehead. “You don’t look very good,” Daichi reluctantly agreed, his hand falling after absent-mindedly combing through Suga’s hair. “I don’t know if I should leave you alone like this—”</p>
<p>“She’s gonna be pissed if you miss your reservation.”</p>
<p>“If you’re sick it can’t be helped.” Daichi hesitated. “Do you want me to stay?”</p>
<p>Suga’s heart was breaking. <em>Yes!</em> stuck in his throat. <em>Stay. Choose me.</em></p>
<p>“I’ll be fine,” he said with a weak smile and an equally weak pat to Daichi’s shoulder. “Have a nice date.”</p>
<p>“It’s not a date,” Daichi insisted yet again, rolling his eyes. </p>
<p>“The lady doth protest too much,” Suga teased.</p>
<p>“Whatever,” Daichi groused and Suga couldn’t help smiling at how cute he was when he pretended to be annoyed with him. “Anyway.” Daichi gave him his serious face. “If you start feeling worse...if you need me, call me and I’ll come home. Okay?”</p>
<p>Suga just nodded.</p>
<p>“You must be sick, if you’re this docile and quiet,” Daichi said wryly.</p>
<p>“Shut up,” Suga pouted. </p>
<p>Daichi laughed, pressing his palm to Suga’s forehead one last time, then running his fingers through Suga’s hair. “Get some sleep, okay? I’ll be back before you know it.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p><br/>
Suga sat for a long time afterward, phone clutched in his hand. Finally he had to turn it off and throw it in his nightstand drawer to resist the urge to call Daichi and beg him to come back. He was currently rolling around on his bed, having a pity party with himself.</p>
<p>
  <em>He said he would stay and you let him go. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Because if I made him stay this time, he’d just go another time and we’d have to do this all over again. It’s only delaying the inevitable.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>You always called Michimiya chickenshit for not confessing in high school. Aren’t you doing the same thing? Moping around waiting for him to reciprocate feelings you won’t tell him you have?</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>How the hell was I ever supposed to tell him? Yeah, okay, I used to daydream that someday he’d love me back, but a long time ago I realized that wasn’t going to happen. That the best I could do was stay close—just the last year of living together is more than I ever thought I’d get.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Then Michimiya came out of nowhere and destroyed everything.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>That’s not fair. Michimiya is cute and bubbly and girly and upbeat and sporty. She’s a perfect match for him. They can get married and buy a house and have like ten kids and two dogs and live happily every after.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Is that what you want for him?</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Isn’t that what I want for him? </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>I love him. I want him to be happy. Even if it means I’m not.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p><br/>
“You really don’t mind?” Michimiya asked.</p>
<p>“Not at all,” Daichi replied. “I feel like I should at least see you inside.” Then he had the sense to hesitate. “Unless that’s inappropriate, this late at night?”</p>
<p>Michimiya snorted, immediately regretting how not-cute it sounded. She should’ve tried for a giggle. “You’ve piggybacked me for twenty minutes, I don’t think now is the time to worry about appropriate.”</p>
<p>Daichi chuckled in agreement. Once inside, Michimiya slid off his back, still holding onto his shoulder as she kept off the foot she’d sprained on the walk back to her apartment. </p>
<p>“Can you help me hobble into my bedroom?” she asked, trying to look extra cute as she looked up at him.</p>
<p>“I could carry you,” he offered.</p>
<p>“I’ll hobble. Just lend me your shoulder.” She kept a grip on him as she hopped the thankfully short distance to her bedroom. This was not how she originally planned on getting Daichi Sawamura into bed. She stood there, looking up at him, knowing that this was her chance to say...<em>something</em>...even if a sprained ankle didn’t exactly scream sexytime. He could at least kiss her, couldn’t he? Even with a sprained ankle, with her big eyes looking up at him and the cleavage she knew was visible in this shirt from this angle, wasn’t she at least <em>kissable</em>? </p>
<p>Instead he looked down at her, expression completely...normal. “Is there anything you need? Anything I can help with or get for you before I go?” he asked. </p>
<p>“Kiss me?”</p>
<p>“<em>What?</em>” </p>
<p>With a harsh laugh, she flopped back onto the bed, her arm falling over her eyes. “I’ve had a crush on you <em>forever</em>,” Michimiya blurted.</p>
<p>“What?” Daichi repeated, totally shocked. Heat flooded his face. </p>
<p>To his surprise, Michimiya laughed again. “It’s okay.” She made a little motion with her hand, waving it off. “I thought maybe this time I had a chance but...<em>he</em> won a long time ago.”</p>
<p>“What?” Daichi asked again, slightly embarrassed. “I’m sorry, I—”</p>
<p>“Daichi.” Her smile was sad and her eyes a little too wet when she moved her arm away from her face. It didn’t go unnoticed that Daichi didn’t ask who she meant by <em>he</em>. “You’re a great guy and you’re too nice to say anything about it but...you’re happiest when you’re talking about two things: sports—” her smile widened and she let out a shaky breath. Daichi knew what her next words would be before she said them. “—and Suga.”</p>
<p>“I-I’m sorry,” was all Daichi could say. “I never meant...”</p>
<p>“I know,” she said, fighting back tears. She choked out a laugh. “I shouldn’t ask but...did I ever even have a chance?”</p>
<p>Silence filled the room as Daichi thought. His mind raced, trying to find the right answer, something to keep Michimiya from crying but also something that wouldn’t hurt her any more than he already had. Because the truth was, she was right. From the first night at the mixer, then the texts, the lunches together, then tonight—he was always thinking about, always talking about one person. And it wasn’t her. It never had been. </p>
<p>“I think that was my answer,” she said, trying and failing to sound lighthearted.</p>
<p>“How long have I been in love with him?” Daichi asked incredulously.</p>
<p>“Aw, c’mon, you’re really gonna ask me that right after breaking my heart?” Michimiya laughed and sniffled all at once. “I don’t know. But I think the way you looked when you looked at him is one of the things I liked most about you. Even though it kind of hurt, when I realized you were never going to look at me that way.”</p>
<p>“I’m sorry,” Daichi said again. </p>
<p>“It’s okay,” Michimiya smiled, genuinely this time. “He was always prettier than me anyway. I thought maybe once I got more womanly, I’d have a chance but...” She put on an exaggerated pout. “He had to go and get even more beautiful! What am I supposed to do against that? It’s not fair!”</p>
<p>After their laughter died down Michimiya wiped away tears of both happiness and heartbreak. “Daichi,” she said softly, “he’s waiting for you. What are you still doing here?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The apartment was quiet and dark when Daichi got home. Which he should have expected—it was after midnight and he’d hoped Suga had gone to bed right after he’d left for dinner. He’d checked his phone all through the meal, just in case Suga had texted—which Michimiya had definitely noticed, but it turned out that hadn’t been a bad thing...</p>
<p>He peeked over on the couch, just in case Suga had fallen asleep there waiting up for him like he had the night of the mixer. Just the memory made him smile; he remembered how adorable he’d thought that was at the time. Now he cringed: how dense could he really be? </p>
<p>The couch was empty so Daichi thought about going straight to bed. If Suga was sleeping, he didn’t want to bother waking him up. But Suga’s door was open and the light was on, so it was okay to peek in, right?</p>
<p>Like the couch, Suga’s bed was empty. Well, it was empty of Suga, anyway. Instead it was full of clothes and books and it looked somewhat like a tornado had thrown a tantrum in there, which was really out of place with Suga’s clean freak ways. Maybe had been in the middle of rearranging something—well, <em>everything</em>, by the looks of it, and got interrupted? Or exhausted? Wasn’t he supposed to be sick? </p>
<p>The bathroom light was off and it was empty as well so Daichi looked in the last place he could be without leaving the apartment.</p>
<p>Asleep on Daichi’s bed, hugging a pillow to his chest, was Suga.</p>
<p>Relieved that he’d at least found him, Daichi shucked his clothes down to his underwear, put on a thin t-shirt to sleep in, then crawled into bed.</p>
<p>“Daichi?” Suga murmured sleepily.</p>
<p>“You feeling any better?”</p>
<p>Suga ignored the question. “What are you doing in my bed?”</p>
<p>Daichi couldn’t help huffing a laugh. “That was actually my question. This is my bed.” He waited for Suga to either say something or fall back asleep. He did neither. “What the heck were you doing in your room?”</p>
<p>Suga turned toward him, blinking awake, visibly processing information. “Oh!” Suga sat up. “I’m leaving. I’m moving out.”</p>
<p>“Huh?!” Daichi asked, way more loudly than he intended. “You’re moving out? <em>Why</em>?”</p>
<p>“What are you doing here?” Suga asked, pushing himself to the other end of the bed. He fumbled as he tried to stand up. “What time is it? Didn’t you go home with Michi— with her?”</p>
<p>“Yeah?” Daichi said, not understanding what that had to do with Suga’s entire room being emptied out on his bed. “She sprained her ankle so I carried her home. I couldn’t just leave her like that.” A lightbulb finally came on in Daichi’s brain. “No, Suga—I didn’t <em>sleep</em> with her!”</p>
<p>“Why not?” Suga asked, eyes a bit wild. “She <em>likes</em> you Daichi! And you’re gonna get married and have a dozen kids and some dogs and be happy and I’m glad for you but—” He’d managed to stand before he started crying. “I can’t live here and watch you fall in love with her anymore. I want you to be happy but it hurts too much because <em>I love you</em>—”</p>
<p>Daichi walked over and gathered Suga in his arms. He kept crying but didn’t resist.</p>
<p>“Don’t cry,” Daichi whispered, thumb gently wiping away a tear across Suga’s cheekbone. “Oh, Suga.” He leaned in, brushing a light kiss on the beauty mark underneath Suga’s left eye. “Suga, I’m sorry.” Now he could taste Suga’s tears on his lips and he continued dusting kisses wherever he could reach without having to pull too far away. Forehead. Ear. Angle of the jaw. Corner of the mouth. Bridge of the nose. “I’m sorry, don’t cry.” </p>
<p>“W-why are you kissing me if you’re sorry?” Suga hiccuped a sob.</p>
<p>“Because,” Daichi said quietly as he tightened his arms around a trembling Suga, nearly crushing them together as he buried his face in Suga’s neck. “I’m so, so happy.”</p>
<p>“You’re happy that I’m crying?” Suga squawked indignantly. “How rude.” </p>
<p>Daichi huffed a laugh, following his hot breath against Suga’s neck with a brush of lips. He pulled back slightly, one hand coming up to cup Suga’s face. A thumb brushed away tears from Suga’s cheekbones as brown eyes roved adoringly over his face. </p>
<p>“You’re so beautiful,” Daichi breathed, then softly kissed Suga on the mouth. </p>
<p>Time stopped as Suga waited, expecting Daichi to pull away as he had with all those feather-light kisses he’d scattered across Suga’s face. But when Daichi didn’t pull back, Suga leaned into him so slightly, barely tasting Daichi’s bottom lip with his tongue. </p>
<p>With only an unfairly sexy growl from the back of his throat as warning, Daichi kissed him back, their tongues meeting, testing, teasing, tasting. Strong arms wrapped around Suga and he briefly had the absurd question whether it was possible to be crushed gently as Daichi’s arms tightened around him, eliminating any space between their bodies, instinctively trying to bring them closer. For his part Suga twined his arms around Daichi’s neck, slender fingers reaching up into the dark cropped hair. </p>
<p>Half out of his mind because Daichi was so warm and smelled so good and tasted amazing Suga couldn’t help the whimper that escaped him.</p>
<p>“Oh shit,” Daichi said, voice husky. “I, uh,” Daichi frowned, biting a wet lip between his teeth nervously. “I hope that’s what you wanted or I’m going to feel like a real jerk.”</p>
<p>“What I..?” Suga’s brow furrowed. “Isn’t it what you want?” His eyes widened slightly, his sleep and kiss-addled brain trying to make sense of what Daichi was saying. Was he doing this just because he thought it’s what Suga wanted? What kind of cruel joke—</p>
<p>“More than anything,” Daichi breathed, kissing the corner of Suga’s mouth. He pulled back enough to look him in the eye, even though the room was still mostly dark. “But I thought maybe you finally got tired of waiting for me to figure it out.” He lovingly carded his fingers through Suga’s wild bedhead. “I was afraid I was too late.”</p>
<p>Suga leaned forward until their lips were a hair’s breadth from touching. “Then why are you still keeping me waiting?” </p>
<p>He could feel Daichi’s answering grin against his lips. </p>
<p> </p>
<p><br/>
“Took you long enough,” Suga purred drowsily, snuggling into Daichi’s shoulder. “But better late than never.”</p>
<p>Daichi’s arm tightened around him. “Do I want to know how long?”</p>
<p>“No, because I’m never going to let you live it down.” Suga hummed in consideration. “I think it was probably when I went from my heart stopping afraid you’d died on the volleyball court to watching you spit out a tooth and randomly thinking that was kinda hot that I realized I was pretty screwed.” Daichi choke-laughed. “At the time I thought that probably wasn’t normal.”</p>
<p>“Uh, no,” Daichi agreed after a moment. “But I guess I’m appreciative all the same.”</p>
<p>“You better be,” Suga replied airily. So quietly that Daichi wasn’t sure he heard correctly, Suga asked, “So? How’d you finally figure it out?”</p>
<p>“Michimiya, actually.” He felt rather than saw Suga crinkle his nose in distaste. “She asked me to ki— um, she said she liked me. For a long—”</p>
<p>“Duh, Daichi.”</p>
<p>“You knew?”</p>
<p>Suga heaved a dramatic sigh. “Everyone knew. Ahem. Anyway, you were saying?”</p>
<p>“Oh, right.” Daichi hesitated, idly combing his fingers through Suga’s hair. He’d been doing that <em>a lot</em>, which made Suga wonder how long he’d been wanting to do it. “All I could think of...was that it never occurred to me to kiss her. Yet I caught myself almost giving you a kiss goodbye the night of the mixer.”</p>
<p>“Are you serious? Why <em>didn't</em> you?”</p>
<p>“Well, at the time I was just relieved I stopped in time! Thought you’d freak out.”</p>
<p>“I would’ve!” Suga said, jabbing Daichi in the ribs. “But in a good way!”</p>
<p>“You could’ve just gone for it and kissed me too, y’know? You didn’t have to wait this whole time. I know you have a reputation for being patient and a diabolical mastermind—” Daichi smiled when Suga snorted. “But it’s not like you to give up without a fight.” He kissed the top of Suga’s hair and asked softly, “Why didn’t you tell me I was in love with you?”</p>
<p>Suga laughed even as he felt his bottom lip quiver. He slid an arm around Daichi’s waist and squeezed. “I didn’t <em>know</em> you were in love with me.”</p>
<p>“Well I am.”</p>
<p>“Sure, say that <em>now</em>.”Suga grumbled. “I didn’t want to give up but I also didn’t think I had a chance. You always looked so <em>happy</em> when you were talking to her and she’s so disgustingly your type. And it was too easy to picture your future full of wholesome goodness and fifteen adorable sporty kids and a pack of dogs and—”</p>
<p>“Wasn’t it a dozen kids last time? Why does the number keep growing?”</p>
<p>“I’m being serious!” Suga thumped him in the chest despite not sounding serious at all.</p>
<p>“Well we can still get a dog. Eventually. If you want. And we had enough kids in high school; I think those guys cured any desire I ever had to be a parent. Hell, sometimes I still have nightmares about Hinata sneaking into that training camp.”</p>
<p>Suga snickered. </p>
<p>“And if I looked so happy talking to her,” Daichi continued, “it was because we were always talking about you.”</p>
<p>Suga’s head jerked up, shocked. “Is that true?”</p>
<p>“Mm hmm.” Cupping Suga’s cheek, Daichi leaned in for a soft kiss. When he pulled back, his eyes roamed over Suga’s face and his lips pulled into a small smirk.</p>
<p>“What?” Suga asked, self-conscious. “What are you smirking about?”</p>
<p>“I was just thinking...” Daichi’s gaze flickered away and he coughed in embarrassment. “When you asked me if there were any ‘hotties’ at the mixer.”</p>
<p>Suga didn’t know what that had to do with anything. “You said there weren’t.” When there was no response, Suga pressed, “Daichi?”</p>
<p>“This is almost too embarrassing to say,” Daichi mumbled.</p>
<p>“Daichiiii,” Suga said ominously.</p>
<p>“There weren’t any hotties because I compared them all to you,” Daichi blurted in a quiet rush. He risked a glance at Suga, who stared back wide-eyed. “You’ve always been the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”</p>
<p>“Daichi, you sap,” Suga breathed, looking utterly delighted. “Tell me more.”</p>
<p>With a laugh, Daichi hugged him closer. “Even when this face was sleepy and crying and sputtering absolute nonsense, I thought you were beautiful.”</p>
<p>“It wasn’t nonsense!” Suga protested. “I was genuinely—” His explanation was pleasantly interrupted by Daichi’s lips on his once again, kissing him deeply and thoroughly as if he intended to kiss the nonsense right out of his mouth.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Did you really not tell him?” Suga asked, putting fresh sheets on what was now the guest bed.</p>
<p>“I thought you would.” Daichi shrugged.</p>
<p>“I didn’t know if you wanted me to. Plus, I didn’t really know <em>how</em>.”</p>
<p>“Won’t he figure it out when he’s sleeping in your old bed and you’re sleeping with me?”</p>
<p>Suga suppressed a smile and tried to glare. It had only been a few weeks but Daichi had surprised him by settling into coupledom very easily. Every once in a while he caught himself wondering if it was really possible, if he was really allowed to be this happy. To feel so loved.</p>
<p>“Suga?” Daichi prompted.</p>
<p>“I don’t know,” Suga admitted. “The whole idea might completely shock him and he’ll do that downward spiral Asahi thing where he’ll explain it away with some complicated rationalization and we’ll find him in the morning sitting on the bed with his arms around his knees still mumbling to himself—”</p>
<p>“Yeah good point,” Daichi cut him off dryly. “Oh shit, he’ll be here any minute. I gotta jump in the shower.” He gave Suga a quick peck on the cheek before leaving the room.</p>
<p>“Hey!” Suga yelled after him. “I know what you’re doing! You’re running away and pretending to take a shower so I have to be the one to figure out how to tell him!”</p>
<p>“Yep!” Daichi laughed. “Except I’m not pretending to take a shower, I really am taking one.” </p>
<p>“Good, you’re still kinda sticky and you smell like se—”</p>
<p>“Don’t say it!” Daichi laughed again. “That really would give him a heart attack. Then we’ll never make it to Tsukishima’s game in time.”</p>
<p>The sound of the shower cut off any retort Suga might’ve had. Finished preparing his old bedroom (well, it was still his bedroom, he just no longer slept in it) for Asahi’s overnight visit, he went to the kitchen and idly milled around, wondering if he should put on tea or coffee. Or would Asahi want beer?</p>
<p>Suga didn’t really know why he hadn’t told Asahi the good news. He wanted to tell the whole freakin’ world. Maybe there was still a part of him, deep down, that was waiting for Daichi to change his mind. Though if the hickies that had drastically limited his choice of shirts this morning were any indication, Daichi didn’t seem inclined to change his mind any time soon.</p>
<p>He knew Asahi would be happy for them. At least, Suga thought so..? The gentle giant had been nursing his own crush on Nishinoya for <em>years</em> now, whether he would actually admit it or not, so the idea of him and Daichi getting together wouldn’t be too shocking, would it?</p>
<p>Unfortunately, the doorbell rang before Suga managed to come up with a workable plan.</p>
<p>“Asahi!” Suga opened the door with genuine enthusiasm.</p>
<p>They went through all the “come in, come ins” “it’s nice to see yous” and “how have you beens” even though they hadn’t seen each other that long ago at the Adlers-Jackals game (or, as they referred to it, the Kageyama-Hinata game). </p>
<p>“Daichi’s still in the shower,” Suga tried to sound casual. “Coffee? Tea? Beer?”</p>
<p>“Oh, uh, I have water.” Asahi pulled a bottle from his satchel. “Thanks, though.”</p>
<p>“How’s Nishinoya?” Suga asked with a smirk. “Still doing the marlin thing?”</p>
<p>“He sent me the best picture yesterday!” Asahi said, pulling out his phone and handing it over. </p>
<p>After looking at the picture in question—which really was cute, he had to admit—he immediately started flipping nosily through Asahi’s phone. “You have a whole <em>album</em> of just Nishinoya?”</p>
<p>“What?” Asahi startled, reaching in a panic to recover his phone. Suga kept flipping through, trying to hold Asahi at bay. He knew it would only be a matter of time, since Asahi had both more strength and reach, but he also knew that Asahi wouldn’t resort to full force right away. “N-no,” Asahi floundered. “I mean, yeah, but it’s just—he takes great pictures and it’s kind of like a travelogue, y’know? I thought I might get it made into a book for him, for his birthday or something? It’s not like—”</p>
<p>“Sure, sure, Asahi,” Suga teased, now too busy trying to hold onto the phone to actually look at anymore of the pictures. “Why don’t you just ask him to marry you already?”</p>
<p>“Suga!” Asahi whined, doubling his effort to wrestle his phone back from Suga’s death grip. Of course, Daichi chose the moment that they were both tangled up on the floor to come out of the bathroom.</p>
<p>“Hey, Asahi,” Daichi said, voice perfectly normal. “Suga. What are you doing?”</p>
<p>“Asahi was just showing me Nishinoya’s latest pictures,” Suga said smoothly, standing up and pretending to dust himself off.  “Wanna see?” He waggled the phone still in his possession.</p>
<p>“Sure,” Daichi said slowly, still looking from a too-innocent Suga to a somewhat red-faced Asahi. “Let me get a shirt on first. I thought I took it in with me but obviously not.” </p>
<p>When Daichi turned his back to them, Suga saw it and opened his mouth to stop him but it was too late.</p>
<p>“Holy crap, Daichi, what happened to you?” Asahi said, eyes wide with concern. He took a step forward with a hand out but didn’t touch. </p>
<p>“Huh?” Daichi asked, totally confused. Suga bit his lip to keep from smiling.</p>
<p>“Did you get in a fight or something? You have <em>scratches</em> all over your bac—” Asahi stopped mid-sentence, his eyes going even wider and his face flooding crimson as he belatedly registered exactly what he was looking at. For a moment he just stood there, jaw slack. “O-oh,” he said finally. His gaze flickered from Daichi—who was now getting a bit pink himself—and Suga, who despite a slight blush was still barely holding himself back from laughing hysterically. Asahi didn’t bother to hide an obvious glance at Suga’s fingers and their just-the-right-length fingernails.</p>
<p>He covered his face with his hands. “You guyyys,” Asahi groaned. “Suga, you’re awful.”</p>
<p>Finally Suga burst out laughing. “Why just me?! Daichi’s awful too!”</p>
<p>“Oh, you’re way more awful than I am,” Daichi said smoothly. “Anyway, I guess that’s one way to break the news,” Daichi said with a shrug and a barely-repressed smile.</p>
<p>“I’m happy for you,” Asahi said, though his words were slightly muffled behind his hands. “But I can’t look at either of you right now. It’s too embarrassing.” Risking a quick peek through his fingers, he glanced at them before squinching his eyes shut and closing his fingers over them again. “Ohmygod, Daichi, go—please go put on a shirt.”</p>
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